[Discontinuation of Chromium-51 for clinical use: What are the possible alternatives for radiopharmacies and nuclear medicine departments?] / Arrêt de production du chrome-51 (51Cr) a usage clinique : quelles alternatives possibles pour les services de radiopharmacie et de médecine nucléaire ?

OBJECTIVES: Last October, the nuclear medicine departments were informed of the closure of the chromium-51 production line for clinical use. This radionuclide has different diagnostic indications in nephrology and hematology. It was therefore essential to set up alternative exploration protocols to overcome this production stoppage. METHODS: Chromium-51 EDTA has been replaced by technetium-99m DTPA for the determination of glomerular filtration rates. Sodium chromate was substituted by sodium pertechnetate for the determination of globular volumes. A retrospective analysis of the chromium-51 data was performed followed by a prospective study, from January to December 2019 for technetium tracers. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-four patients were included in the study. Forty-two EDTA-51Cr and 30 DTPA-99mTc exams were conducted and compared. There were no significant differences between the methods used to assess renal function (P=0.355). For the determination of blood cell and plasma volumes, 47 tests with 51Cr and 125I and 25 tests with 99mTc and 125I were performed and compared. There were no significant differences in the determination of total (P=0.325) and globular (P=0.148) volumes. CONCLUSIONS: The study carried out shows that there is no significant difference between the results obtained with chromium-51 and technetium tracers. As a result, clinical activity was maintained in good conditions.

Evaluación de la seguridad de una suspensión de fosfato de cromo(III) para uso en radiosinoviortesis / Evaluation of the safety a Chromium (III) Phosphate suspension for radiosynoviorthesis

Objetivo: evaluar la fuga de radiactividad de la cavidad articular después de la administración de suspensiones radiomarcadas de Fosfato de Cromo(III) y la probabilidad de inducción de genotoxicidad. Métodos: las suspensiones se obtuvieron según método reportado. Para la evaluación de la fuga articular las suspensiones marcadas se administraron por vía intraarticular en ratas y conejos. El seguimiento se realizó por medición de la actividad retenida por cámara gamma. En los estudios de genotoxicidad se determinó la frecuencia de formación de micronúcleos en eritrocitos de médula ósea de ratas para 2 dosis y 2 tiempos para cada preparado. Resultados: para las suspensiones radiomarcadas en estudio la fuga fue no significativa durante 3 semanas (< 3 por ciento para la marcada con 51Cr y ~5 por ciento con 32P). Para los preparados con 32P e 90Y se observó poca diferencia en la frecuencia de aparición de micronúcleos para el 1-er tiempo, independientemente de las dosis administradas. A tiempos mayores se produjo un incremento en la formación de micronúcleos para las dosis superiores. Conclusiones: se demostró la posibilidad del uso seguro de una suspensión de Fosfato de Cromo(III) marcada con diferentes radionúclidos, en particular que la fuga articular de la suspensión no fue significativa durante 3 semanas y se comprobó las ventajas de tener un preparado con mayor tamaño de partículas. Para las suspensiones marcadas con 90Y y 32P no se producen incrementos en la frecuencia de formación de micronúcleos para una dosis superior en aproximadamente 40 veces a la prevista a utilizar en la clínica

Objective: to evaluate the leakage of radioactivity after intraarticular administration of radioactive suspensions based on Chromium (III) Phosphate as well as the probability of induction of genotoxic effect. Methods: the suspensions were obtained in line with the published procedure. For the articular leakage evaluation, the radioactive suspensions were intraarticulary administered in rats and rabbits. The radioactivity retention was measured by gamma chamber. A comparison with commercial radiopharmaceutical labeled with 32P was made. The genotoxicity studies determined the frequency of micronuclei formation in the rats´ bone marrow erythrocytes by using 2 doses and 2 time intervals for each preparation. Results: the radiolabeled suspensions under evaluation showed that the leakage was not significant during 3 weeks (<3 percent for the suspension labeled with 51Cr and ~5 percent in the one labeled with 32P) and the advantages of having larger particle preparation were confirmed. For those suspension labeled with 32P and 90Y , no significant difference was seen in the frequency of micronuclei formation for the first time interval, regardless of the administered doses. The micronuclei formation increased for higher doses and at longer time intervals. Conclusions: the results demonstrated the possibility of the safe use of a of Chromium (III) Phosphate suspension labeled with several radionuclides for the treatment of different joints, in particular the leakage was not significant during 3 weeks and the advantages of having a larger particle radiopharmaceutical was confirmed. For the suspensions labeled with 32P and 90Y micronucleus frequency mildly increased with the time and administered doses

Evaluación de la seguridad de una suspensión de fosfato de cromo(III) para uso en radiosinoviortesis / Evaluation of the safety a Chromium (III) Phosphate suspension for radiosynoviorthesis

Objetivo: evaluar la fuga de radiactividad de la cavidad articular después de la administración de suspensiones radiomarcadas de Fosfato de Cromo(III) y la probabilidad de inducción de genotoxicidad. Métodos: las suspensiones se obtuvieron según método reportado. Para la evaluación de la fuga articular las suspensiones marcadas se administraron por vía intraarticular en ratas y conejos. El seguimiento se realizó por medición de la actividad retenida por cámara gamma. En los estudios de genotoxicidad se determinó la frecuencia de formación de micronúcleos en eritrocitos de médula ósea de ratas para 2 dosis y 2 tiempos para cada preparado. Resultados: para las suspensiones radiomarcadas en estudio la fuga fue no significativa durante 3 semanas (< 3 por ciento para la marcada con 51Cr y ~5 por ciento con 32P). Para los preparados con 32P e 90Y se observó poca diferencia en la frecuencia de aparición de micronúcleos para el 1-er tiempo, independientemente de las dosis administradas. A tiempos mayores se produjo un incremento en la formación de micronúcleos para las dosis superiores. Conclusiones: se demostró la posibilidad del uso seguro de una suspensión de Fosfato de Cromo(III) marcada con diferentes radionúclidos, en particular que la fuga articular de la suspensión no fue significativa durante 3 semanas y se comprobó las ventajas de tener un preparado con mayor tamaño de partículas. Para las suspensiones marcadas con 90Y y 32P no se producen incrementos en la frecuencia de formación de micronúcleos para una dosis superior en aproximadamente 40 veces a la prevista a utilizar en la clínica(AU)

Objective: to evaluate the leakage of radioactivity after intraarticular administration of radioactive suspensions based on Chromium (III) Phosphate as well as the probability of induction of genotoxic effect. Methods: the suspensions were obtained in line with the published procedure. For the articular leakage evaluation, the radioactive suspensions were intraarticulary administered in rats and rabbits. The radioactivity retention was measured by gamma chamber. A comparison with commercial radiopharmaceutical labeled with 32P was made. The genotoxicity studies determined the frequency of micronuclei formation in the rats´ bone marrow erythrocytes by using 2 doses and 2 time intervals for each preparation. Results: the radiolabeled suspensions under evaluation showed that the leakage was not significant during 3 weeks (<3 percent for the suspension labeled with 51Cr and ~5 percent in the one labeled with 32P) and the advantages of having larger particle preparation were confirmed. For those suspension labeled with 32P and 90Y , no significant difference was seen in the frequency of micronuclei formation for the first time interval, regardless of the administered doses. The micronuclei formation increased for higher doses and at longer time intervals. Conclusions: the results demonstrated the possibility of the safe use of a of Chromium (III) Phosphate suspension labeled with several radionuclides for the treatment of different joints, in particular the leakage was not significant during 3 weeks and the advantages of having a larger particle radiopharmaceutical was confirmed. For the suspensions labeled with 32P and 90Y micronucleus frequency mildly increased with the time and administered doses(AU)

Survival of rabbit platelets labeled with gallium 67.

The viability of rabbit platelets labeled with radioactive gallium was determined to analyze the feasibility of using platelets labeled with gallium 68 as an imaging reagent for positron emission tomography. Platelets were labeled with a complex of the longer lived gallium 67 and mercaptopyridine-N-oxide (MPO) or with sodium chromate Cr 51. Their survival after transfusion was measured. Labelling efficiency of 67Ga-MPO was 6.5% to 45.8% (26.8% +/- 2.8%) when platelets were suspended in saline solution, but was much lower (1.6% +/- 0.8%) in plasma. Platelets labeled with either radioisotope in a saline medium survived as well as platelets labeled with 51Cr in plasma. Recovery values 1 hour after transfusion and mean platelet survivals were 68.6% +/- 4.9% and 3.4 +/- 0.2 days for 67Ga in saline solution, 76.5% +/- 6.8% and 3.8 +/- 0.5 days for 51Cr in saline solution, and 73.7% +/- 7.4% and 3.6 +/- 0.5 days for 51Cr in plasma. Labeled platelet concentrates always contained extra radioactivity not firmly bound to viable platelets. A postlabeling wash in saline solution did not reduce this contamination and resulted in reduction of the number of viable platelets. The results showed that rabbit platelets labeled with 67Ga-MPO survived in the circulation as well as those labeled by a standard protocol with sodium chromate Cr 51.

Complement activation and adult respiratory distress syndrome during intermittent flow apheresis procedures.

We observed complement (C) activation during intermittent flow apheresis procedures (Haemonetics model 30) in four subjects, two of whom developed adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Actual C3 conversion during apheresis was illustrated by the finding of significantly elevated C3d levels (p less than 0.05) and of significantly increased alpha-1-antitrypsin/C3 ratios (p less than 0.05) in postapheresis serums. Similarly, marked granulocyte aggregating activity was found in these serums, indicative of the generation of significant amounts of the C-derived anaphylatoxin, C5a or C5a desarginine. A mean decrease of 59.75 percent in neutrophil count during the four procedures suggested sequestration of aggregated granulocytes in the pulmonary vasculature. Moreover, granulocytes activated by apheresis serums induced significant 51Cr leak from cultured human endothelial cells is vitro (p less than 0.001). We conclude that inflammatory C components produced during apheresis procedures may provoke granulocyte aggregation and embolization, leading to plugging of the pulmonary vasculature, and that apheresis-activated granulocytes may induce endothelial cytotoxicity, leading to the capillary leakage syndrome, characteristic of ARDS. Individual variability in C5a generation capacity or alterations in normal C5a clearing mechanisms may account for the low incidence of clinical C activation and true ARDS during apheresis. In these instances, high-dose steroids, which interfere with granulocyte-C interactions, may be beneficial.

Intracellular distribution and radiotoxicity of chromium-51 in mammalian cells: Auger-electron dosimetry.

The kinetics of uptake and of radiotoxicity of chromium-51, an Auger-electron emitter, have been studied in V79 lung fibroblasts of the Chinese hamster. Intracellular radioactivity was directly proportional to the incubation period and to the extracellular concentration of the Cr-51. About 14% of the cellular activity was associated with the nucleus, whereas approximately 2% was guanidine-precipitable and therefore bound to DNA. The growth rate of V79 cells was slowed following intracellular incorporation of Cr-51. The cell-survival curve, in terms of colony-forming ability, was of the low-LET type, with a D37 of 6.2 pCi/cell. Theoretical dosimetric estimates indicate that, under the given experimental conditions, the mean lethal dose to the cell nucleus was 870 rad. Although this value is somewhat larger than the x-ray D37 dose of 580 rad for this cell line, it is more realistic than the gross underestimate obtained by classical MIRD calculations (2-3 rad/cell).

Blood cell labelling. Theory and methods: radiation hazards.

The chief physical properties of the radionuclide In111 are outlined, and compared with those of three other radionuclides, Tc99m, I131 and Cr51 which have similar applications. It is pointed out that the gamma-rays of In111 are appreciably more penetrating in lead than those of Tc99m and the significance of this, both in the use of shielding on syringes and in the effectiveness of lead glass screens is discussed. Examples are given of the dosimetry for In111 labelled cells in humans and it is noted that the absorbed dose in the spleen per mCi (37 MBq) injected may be some 10 rad (0.1 Gy). The problems that have been noted of damage to cells arising from oxine labelling and now considered to be due to radiation damage are briefly reviewed.